Pneumatic water system.



W. H. SINGLETON. PNEUMATIC WATER SYSTEM;

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1a, 1913.

Patented May 19, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WZJWZMM Attorneys WL H. SINGLETON. PNEUMATIC WATER SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 13 1913 Patented May 19, 1914,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

C Attorneys W. H. SINGLETON.

PNEUMATIC WATER SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13,1913.

Patented May 19, 1914.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

Witnesses I Attorneys by I WILLIAM HENRY SINGLE'I'ON, OF MACON, GEORGIA.

PNEUMATIC WATER SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 13, 1913. Serial No. 767,489.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, lV LLIAM H. SINGLE- rozv, a citizen of the United States, residing at Macon, in the county of Bibb and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Pneumatic Water System, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in pneumatic water syste1ns,,one object of the present invention being the provision of a system in which the air control for forcing the water to the desired point is actuated through a float controlled electrical mechanism, thus producing a system, in which the level of the water within the respective cylinders controls the actuation of the means for elevating the Water from a filled cylinder, there being a plurality of even numbered cylinders disposed to be filled by gravity, the water being expelled therefrom by compressed air.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of means for controlling the flow of air in the respective cylinders for forcing the water therefrom, said means being disposed exteriorly of the well and in a readily accessible position for adjustment and repair.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear. as the description proceeds, the invention resides in'the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the complete system,'the source of compressed air not 'being shown. Fig.1? is .an enlarged detail sectional view through one of the cylinders showing the float actuated electrical control disposed therewithin. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a pneumatic means for operating the air control valve and the auxiliary electrically controlled means for controlling the supply of air through the air valve, the electrical connections being shown in diagram. .Fig; 4 is an enlarged. detail sectional view of one form, of air; controlling valve.

of another form of air controlling valve.-

Fig. '5 is-a simi1ar view Fig. v(3 is an enlarged detail view "of the main air controlling valve Wl'llCh is to be Patented May 19, 1914.

opera-ted either pneumatically or electrically as found expedient. Fig. 7 is a section ta ken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a detail vlew showing what is termed the cut-out casing for preventin water of condensation 1n the air from atiiectlng the electrical conductors disposed in the well. Fig.

9 is a sectional view showing a modified form of a float actuated switch and one cf the pressure emptied cylinders of the systern. Fig. 10 is a sectional view showing a solenoid construction for operating a ball valve. Fig. 11 is a view illustrating another form of sole'nold construction for operating the ball valve.

Referring to the drawings, the numerals and 2 designate the two water receivlng cylinders to which water is fed by gravity,

ply conduits 6 and 7 respectively, which lead to the upper ends of the respective cylinders 1 and 2, so that at the proper time, air is supplied to the upper end of saidcylinders to force the water therefrom to the respective check valve controlled conducting conduits 8 and 9, said conduits being led to the desired points, or point, as for instance the system within the house.

. The valve member 11 is dlsposed partially within the casing 5, and consistsof a rectangular block normally held properly seated by means ofthe spring 10, a stem 12 beingprovided to form the axis for the valve and themeans by which thesaine s oscillated to bring the forward endsof the respective-channels 13 and14 into registration with the respectiveports of. the casing 5.

-When the valveiportsfare in the position as shownin Figs .7, air enters through the conduit into the casing-45, jpass'ing tween the conduit?6; andtheeXhauSt conthrough. the into the'pipei ito the i' upper end ofthe cylinder'2,and as the channel 13li s; forniinga connecting medium beduit 15, the air within the cylinder 1, due to the rise of water therein through the check valve port inthe bottom thereof and as shown at 2 in Fig. 2, is permitted to exhaust through the, pipe 15 to the air and thus relieve any back pressure in the cylinder 1. When the valve 11 is operated to assume the other position, the air will enter through the conduit 3 into the casing 5 and through the port 6 and conduit 6 to the cylinder 1, the channel 14 at this time being in communication with the port 7 and the exhaust pipe 16, so that the air within the cylinder 2 due to the inrushing of the water through the check valve port 2 will be exhausted through the conduit 16, thus relieving any back pressure in the cylinder so that the same may be filled by gravity.

The valve member 11 may be oscillated by electrical means as shown in 'Fig. 2,-or by the pneumatic control as shown in Fig. 3, electrical means being preferred where the valve is a light valve and is easily operated and the pneumatic means is preferred where the member 11 is heavier and is operating under a greater pressure, therefore needing a greater power to operate the same. The electrical means as shown in Fig. 1, consists of the double lever 17 which is disposed upon the outer squared end of the valve stem 12, and is adapted to be oscillated through the respective rods 18 and 19 and the respectivecores 20 and 21 of the solenoids 22 and 23, the solenoids being alternately energized, as will presently appear, automatically through the rise and fall of the water within the respective cylinders 1 and 2. A conduit 24 is led from the air supply pipe 3 and is connected by means of the coupling 25 to the respective cylinders 1 and 2, so as to form a conduit for the electrical conducting wires and also a means to admit air under pressure to the switch carrying casing 26 there being one of these disposed in each of thecylinders 1 and 2, as clearly shown in detail in Fig. 2. Disposed in the upper end of the casing 26 is a diaphragm 27, which is disposed to be normally. held in the position as shown-in Fig. 2 by means of the air pressure within the. casing and to be depressed by means of the lever 29 which is connected to the dia phragm at one end, saidlever being pivoted in the bracket 28 and through the link 30 to the float 31. By this means the lowering of the float 31 due to the fall of water therein and its-discharge through the said valved conveying pipe 9, will permit of the elevation of the diaphragm 27 and consequently the pivoted contact lever 33, which I is mounted in the lug 32 within the casing 26. The insulated pin 35 is carried by the contact lever 33 and is disposed in alinement to be engaged by the connection 29 of the diaphragm, so that under normal conditions the contacts 36 and 37 willbe spaced apart and thecircuit controlled thereby will be open. Upon the lowering of the float 31, and the consequent elevation of the diaphragm 27, the contact 36 will engage the contact 37 and close the circuit as will presently appear. The contact 37 is disposed in the bracket 38 carried within the casing 26, while the spring 34 is provided to force the contact 36 into engagement with the contact 37 when pressure is equalized upon both sides of the diaphragm 27.

When the circuit is closed at 36 and 37 in the casing 26 of the cylinder 2, the water has reached its lowest level within the cylinder 2 and has reached its highest level within the cylinder 1 and it is therefore desirable to check the flow of air tothe cylinder 2 and to cause air to be directed into the cylinder 1 so that the water may be expelled from cylinder 1 while cylinder 2 is being filled by gravity.

The circuit controlled therefore and c0nducting air to the cylinder 1, includes the battery 39, the conductor 40,- the conductor 41, the'contact lever 33,- the contact 36, the contact 37, the conductor 42, the solenoid 22, and the conductors 43 and 44. Thus the solenoid 22 is energized, elevating its core 20 and through the rod 18 shifting the valve 11 from the dotted line position in Fig. 1 to an opposite position so that the port 6 is uncovered by the valve member 11 and air is permitted to flow directly from the conduit 3 into the conduit 6 and thence to the upper end of the cylinder 1. When the water has been properly expelled from the cylinder 1, the float 31 will act in a similar manner, as shown in Fig. 2, elevating its diaphragm 27 to close the contacts 36 and 37 in the cylinder 1, whilethe contacts will be opened due to the rise of water in the cylinder 2 so that the circuit of the solenoid 22 will be opened, while the circuit of the solenoid 23 will be closed and cause the energization of the solenoid 23 to operate the valve member 11 to assume the position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, or so that air will pass from the conduit 3 directly into the conduit 7 and into the cylinder 2 to expel the Water therefrom. The circuit closed to perform this operation, consists of the batteries 39, the conductor 40, the conductor 41 leading to the lever 33 and con tact 36 of the cylinder 1, the contact 37 therefrom to" the batteries 39 and solenoids 22 and 23, and whenit is desired themember 45 may be constructed as shown in ,Fig. 8, to constitute a casing 45, having the battle plate 46 disposed in the lower end of the upper section of the conduit24 so that the water of condensation in the air'may be directed into the receptacle .47 so as to not affect the wires disposed within the cas ing 45' and led downwardly through the lower section of the conduit 24.

When it is desired to operate the valve member in the casing 5,.pneumatically, an arrangement as shown in Fig. 3 is preferable, the doublelever l7 whichis connected to the stem 12 of the valve member 1 1' having connected to the respective ends thereof, the piston rods 48 and '49, which are disposed for sliding movement in their respective cylinders 50 and 50. Mounted upon the lower end of the respective rods 48 and 49 are the diaphragm engaging heads 51 and 52 respectively, which are disposed to be actuated in their upward movement by the pneumatically actuated diaphragms 53 and 54 disposed in the respective casings 50. and 50'. In this'construction the diaphragm 531s controlled from air fromthe conduit 7 which corresponds to the conduit 7 of the before described mechanism, and the .dia-

phragm 54 is controlled by air led from the con'duit 6 which corresponds to the conduit 6 heretofore described. In order to. convey air from the conduit 7 to the lower end-of the cylinder or cas:

ing and subsequently elevate the diaphragm 53, a coupling 57 is connected to the conduit 7" and has led therefrom the conduit 58, which has connected thereto the.

valve casing 59 the conduit being led. from the valve casing and into the lower end of the cylinder or casing 50. By this means when the valve 60, or 64 of the construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5 respectively, are

opened, air will flow from the conduit 7.

5O elevating the diaphragm 53 and consequently the head 51- and through the stem or rod- 48 one end of the lever 17, so as to shift the valve member 11 from the dottedline into the lower end of the cylinder or casing position shown in Fig. 3 to the opposite'position, the arm 74 controlled through the, spring 75 being put in the position at the extreme left as shown in Fig. 3, assisting the lever 17 in the proper. elevation so that. the head 51 will pass upwardtothe upper.v

end of the casing 50 and assume a'. similar a position to the head 52 in the cylinder 50'.

A pneumatic control for the diaphragm i54consists of a coupling 57 ,which is .connected in the conduit 6, and has a conduit 58 led thereaway from into-the valve casing 59', the conduit 56 being -.connected to the valve casing 59 and to the lower endof the casing or cylinder 50. thus providing a.

means whereby air is supplied from the coni to the lower-end of the casing or cylinder 50f'. 7 I

Both of the respective valves 60 and 64 as.

clearly. shown in Figs 3, 4 and 5, are controlled electrically, the casings 5959 being made of non-magnetic metal as, for in stance, brass, while .the smallvalve 60 as shown in Fig. 4 is made of iron or steel and is therefore attracted by its respective elec. trq-magnetsBl-Gl to be elevatedfrorn its seat to permit of the passage of air from the respective conduits 6 -7 to operate the diaphragms 53 and 54, as before described. In the structure shown in Fig. 5, the armature 62 is constructed of steel or other magnetic metal, and is made in the form of a bell crank lever which is operably connected to the vertically movable needle valve 64 so .that the same may be elevated when the armature is attracted by its electro-magnets 61.61f to open the valve and permit the passage of air to operate the respective diaphragms 53 and 54. In this form of the apparatus, it is desired that some means he,

provided to prevent sparking at contacts 36 ,37 and 36 and 37 of the respective float actuated switches, and in order to do this;a conductor 65 is provided with the oppositely disposed branches 66, which are connected to and insulated from the lever 11' and carry contacts 6767' for engage- .ment with the contacts 6868 disposed in the path thereof, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. t

-Assuming the parts, to be in the position, as shown in Fig. 3, the air' is flowing from the conduit 3 into the casing 5, and into the conduit 7, and consequently forcing air out of the cylinder at the right (not shown), the contacts 67 and 68 being closed and the following circuits of the closure contacts 36'-37' and 36 and 37 to complete the circuit to operate the solenoid 61 or 61' and thus cause air to flow to operate the diaphragm 53 to shift the valve. member 11 to the position opposite the dotted line position in Fig. 3. The circuit closed to perform this operationisas follows: the battery 7 3, the conductor fif), the branch conductors 66, the

centactsfii and 68, theconductors 69, the

electro-magnet 61, the conductor 70, the contact 37', the contact 36, the conductors 71 and72. This circuit is only closed a short time, as the opening of the valve 59 permits airtoflow from the conduit 7 into the lower end of the cylinder 50, elevating1 the diaphragm 53 and the head 51, whic through the stcm 48 elevates the lever 17 and opens the contacts 67-438, the momentum or force of air being suflicient to throw the arm 7 4 to the left beyond the center line and 'the spring 75 .will insure the n:ove ment of the valve member 11 so as to depress the stem 49 and head 52. upon the diaphragm 54,

causing the same to assume the position similar to the head 51 and diaphragm 53. The contacts 36 and 37 and 67' and 68 at this time are connected and although the contacts 36'37 are closed, no current is flowing through the solenoid 61 and as the valve member 11 has been thrown to the opposite position as shown in Fig. 3, air is conducted to the conduit 3 into the conduit 6 and into the cylinder containing the contacts 36 and 37. When this mechanism has been operated due to the ejection of the water therefrom, the contacts 36 and 37 being brought together the electro-magnet 61, is energized through the following circuit, and which includes the batteries 73, the conductor 65, the branch conductors 66, the contacts 67 and 68', the conductor 69', the electro-magnet 61, the conductor 70', thecontact 36*, the contact 37*, the conductors 73 and 71', thus completlng the circuit which operates the valve 59 and permits air to flow from the conduit 6 into the lower end of the cylinder 50', operating the diaphragm to start the elevation of the head 52 and the rod 49 so that the contacts 67-68 are broken and the valve 11 through the action of the diaphragm 54 and spring 75 is moved to the position, as shown in Fig. 3, causing air to flow direct from the conduit 3 through the conduit 7 into the cylinder which has been just filled by gravity. The contacts 3-6 37 remain closed until the water by gravity elevates its float control so that the contacts will be open. By this means it will be seen that the before described operation is controlled automatically by the water entering the respective cylinders 1 and 2, and that these cylinders will be filled and emptied alternately to supply the water. 7

Although the casing 26 is shown in the lower end of the respective cylinders 1 and 2, it is evident that the same may be disposed in the upper end above the water line, simply necessitating the reversal of the float levers to operate the diaphragm 27 to' cause the opening and closing of the contacts 3637, 36%-7 and 36*-37. 7 It is also evidentthat the main mechanism including the solenoids for operating the lever 17 or the air cylinders and the electrical control therefor operating the lever 17 may be disposed exteriorly of the well in such position to be readily adjusted and repaired and to be unaffected by the elements.

As shown in Fig. 10, the casing 59 into which the conduit 58 leads and the conduit 55 is led thereaway from, is composed of brass or non-magnetic metal, the solenoid 61 being disposed to surround the casing 59 and thus when energized to elevate the ball valve 60, which being made of steel is attracted and in reality forms the core of the solenoid.

In the form shown in Fig. 11, the conduit larly to the cylinder 1, the air pipe 24' being led in the top thereof and having mounted for sliding movement therewithin, a rod 79 which carries the contact 80 in the path to engage the insulated contact 81 to which is connected lead 42 of the circuit, the casing 26 or in fact any of the metal parts being grounded through the conduit 40 to the ground at 82. In order to operate the contact 80 into and out of engagement with the contact 81, the float 31 with its lever is pivoted in the lower end of the supporting rod 7 G'within the cylinder 1 while the link 77 is connected to the lever 78 which in turn is connected to the lower end of the rod 79. Thus the contact box 26 is disposed above the level of the water and is not affected thereby as in the other case.

What is claimed is:

1. In a water system, the combination of two gravity filled submerged reservoirs, two check valved conduits, one to each reservoir, led therefrom, a compressed air supply conduit, two air conveying conduits, one to each reservoir, a valve casing interposed between the air supply conduit and the two air conveying conduits, a valve mounted in said casing for alternately connecting the two air conveying conduits to the air supply conduit, a double lever connected to the valve, pneumatically controlled means operably connected to the respective ends of the said lever, two conduits leading to the pneumatically operated means from the two air con veying conduits, a valve in each of said conduits, two floats, one mounted in each reservoir, two switches one controlled by each float, two electromotors for operating the valves of the pneumatically operated means, and two circuits including each a source of electrical energy, one switch of the reservoir, and one clectromotor, whereby the valves are operated to alternately connect the two air conveying pipes to the air supply pipe.

2. In a water system, the combination of two gravity filled submerged reservoirs, two check valved conduits, one to each reservoir, led therefrom, a compressed air supply conduit, two air conveying conduits, one to each reservoir, a valve casing interposed between the air supply conduit and the two air conveying conduits, a valve mounted in said casing for alternately connecting the two air conveying conduits to the air supply conduit, a double lever connected to the valve, pneumatically controlled means operably connected to the respective ends of said lever, two conduits leading to the pneumaticallyoperated means from the two air conveying conduits, a valve in each of said conduits, two floats, one mounted in each reservoir, two switches, one controlled by each float, two electromotors for operating the valves of the pneumatically operated means, and two circuits including each a source of electrical energy, one switch of the reservoir, and an electric motor, whereby the valves are operated to alternately connect the two air conveying pipes to the air supply pipe, and a spring operably connected to the lever for assisting the pneumatically actuated means in maintaining the lever in the respective positions.

3. In a water system, the combination of two gravity filled submerged reservoirs, two check valved conduits, one to each reservoir, two air conveying conduits, one to each reservoir, a valve casing interposed between the air supply conduit and the two air conveying conduits, a valve mounted in said casing for alternately connecting the two air conveying conduits to the air supply conduit, a double lever connected to the valve, two

pneumatically controlled means one operably connected to each end of said lever, two conduits leading to the pneumatically operated means from the two air conveying conduits, a valve in each of said conduits, two floats, one mounted in each reservoir, two switches, one controlled by each float, two electromotors for operating the valves of thepneumatically operated means, and two circuits including each a source of electrical energ one switch of the reservoir, and an electric motor, whereb the valves are operated to alternately connect the two air conveying pipes to the air supply pipe, and two pairs of coiiperable contacts, one in each circuit, and connected to and carried in the path of the lever for opening the respective circuits after the movement of the valves.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto alfixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM HENRY SINGLETON. lVitnesses O. H. Caocmz'r'r, R. S. LEONARD. 

